Carbon Emissions Show Sharp Rise

Updates below...

From the BBC News...

The rise in humanity's emissions of carbon dioxide has accelerated sharply, according to a new analysis.

The Global Carbon Project says that emissions were rising by less than 1% annually up to the year 2000, but are now rising at 2.5% per year...

If you saw the documentary An Inconvenient Truth featuring Al Gore, then you have some idea how alarming this latest discovery is.

Some scientists have speculated that the "tipping point" -- the point of no return when nothing we do will prevent the world's ecosystem from overheating past the point of disaster -- is approaching fast, if we haven't already passed it. This latest report only adds to the general gloom and doom index.

Also noteworthy, the United States, with 4% of the world's population, produces 25% of the world's excess carbon dioxide, but has done next to nothing to slow its production for fear of cutting into profits and non-negotiable lifestyles.

In the meantime, the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to decide the fate of carbon dioxide and the EPA's role in limiting it. Court hearings began on Tuesday, November 28th. Their ruling won't be announced until 2007 sometime.

Update: In a related development, union representatives of over 10,000 EPA scientists and specialists signed and presented a petition calling on Congress to take immediate action against global warming. The petition also calls for an end to censorship of scientists by the current administration on topics of climate change and air pollution. No word yet from the White House, as no word is expected other than possibly a dismissive or threatening slam on Public Employee unions.

Another Update: After the first days' hearings, it appears to come down to Justice Anthony Kennedy to decide whether the states have standing to press the EPA to assert its authority in regulating CO2 emissions. Here is a link to the story.